get lucky

happy birthday to me

2010-01-04T12:00:00.000+01:00

today is my birthday and i'm celebrating with this bouncy birthday crimp by the mighty boosh. i'm a bit like howard, i'm not much for big birthday parties, but i would NEVER say no to a bouncy castle party!

merry xmas!

2009-12-23T09:15:00.006+01:00

i'll be taking a few days off this blogging business to spend time with my family and eating. i hope you'll have a wonderful and magical holiday!

i'm so sad i didn't remember to ask santa for a kitten or two for xmas, but i'm going to take care of that myself during 2010! bet on it! so i'll leave you here with these pictures, enjoy!

images via krisatomic

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

my xmas project:

2009-12-19T17:41:00.003+01:00

i've finally decided, drops cardigan in alpaca will be my xmas knit project. i wanted to knit a cardigan in alpaca and i was so happy to find this. the pattern seems easy and cute, and all finished cardigans from it looks gorgeous so i'm pretty confident it'll be a success.

here are my two favourites from ravelry, aren't they beautiful?!

by sarastus

by jepy

i fell in love

2009-12-14T13:18:00.002+01:00

i saw the cat in the hat for the first time yesterday, can you believe it? i'm obviously missing out on a lot of good stuff, i guess that's what happens when one neither has kids nor a solid interest in movies. it has to change. if you think i might have missed something else pretty: please enlighten me! i'll love you forever.

i fell in love with the colours and sally's (dakota fanning) outfit. i love that light greet bolero and i think i'll make it my next project to knit something like it.

images from lovely dakota & imdb

things i ♥:

2009-12-13T10:22:00.000+01:00

here are a few images of cute projects i've saved to my cute projects file over the week. don't you love them?!

this cute sleepy owls pillow by krakracraft.

this puff granny's baby by pickles. i want to make this!

these holiday lables by orange you lucky

this zebra pillow from Vogue Knitting's Quick Gifts. find a pattern for an almost equally cute goat version for $4 at vogueknitting.com

these toddler moccasines by hook candy

video of the week: waltz #2 by elliott smith

2009-12-12T13:00:00.002+01:00

makes me happy

2009-12-11T13:09:00.000+01:00

nothing makes me as happy as to hear someone love something i've made! this is the cute miss kirsten of knitting a love song that was the winner in one of my giveaways. i loved the beret that she chose and now i almost regret parting with it, but it's in a good home now.

i threw in some extras that i hoped she would like as well, and it turned out i was right. the llittle owl ornament was a big hit. are you jealous? i would be.

both images borrowed from knitting a love song.

stressing out

2009-12-10T12:36:00.003+01:00

my to do list is insane! it feels like i have a billion things to do before the end of this week and i don't know if i'll be able to pull it off. gaaah!

1. ~~shop, make last things for~~ happy mail and send out
2. finish and send the order to cherry cherry
3. send out xmas cards
4. plan and make stuff for bazaar
5. send xmas gifts to friends far away
6. write a letter to a friend

and at the same time workworkwork and spend time with loved ones.

handmade gift ideas: knitting

2009-12-09T21:40:00.004+01:00

this is the last gift guide i've planned for this year, but if i find more fantastic free patterns that i think would be great xmas gifts i won't keep them to myself. the reason i've chosen free patterns is not because i'm cheap, i want to pay for great patterns and tutorials, i think artists are as a rule way underpaid, but in times like this one might want to have a free choice as well. handmade gifts are so much more personal and special and i advice everyone to, if not only give handmade, at least give a few. so, here are some amazing knitted items:

this is such a great last SECOND gift, find the pattern at ravelry (you need to be a member).

coraline mittens by ravelry user brella. download the pattern at ravelry.

pauline the bonnet, find the pattern on knitting ninja's pattern page.

pattern for these legwarmers for the little ones can be found at nevernotknitting.blogspot.com.

adorable elephant here.

i love this shrug! it's on my 'to knit list'. find the pattern at knitty.

see more gift ideas:
* how to make cute clocks, a rug, rose petal applique etc.
* crochet gifts
* sown gifts

the perfect smas jumper

2009-12-09T21:31:00.003+01:00

isn't this the perfect christmas jumper? it is it's name so i must be right on this. more here, and on ravelry here. if only i had the time to make it before xmas!

my etsy favourites

2009-12-07T12:09:00.000+01:00

video of the week: here i dreamt i was an architect by the decemberists

2009-12-05T15:14:00.000+01:00

handmade gift ideas: sewing

2009-12-04T12:08:00.000+01:00

in my last post i showed off my favourite crochet gift ideas, for this one i wanted to show you my favourite sewing projects. this post is smaller but just as cute, don't you think?

a cute lavender teabag by lupin. find more of her tutorials here.

anna panda plushie, more great tutorials at mollychicken.blogs.com.

this is an oldie but a goodie: a tutorial for how to make a black apple doll.

see more:
* how to make cute clocks, a rug, rose petal applique etc.
* crochet gifts

winter wonderland + giveaway winner!

2009-12-03T10:31:00.002+01:00

via we heart it

when i woke up this morning a view like this, well minus the deer and a bit less snow, greeted me outside the window. i'm not a big fan of snow, it's pretty but it's cold and wet and i have nothing to wear. if only i could stay in all day and watch it from the window, that would be lovely.

i didn't have a lot of participants in my last giveaway. i'm a bit bummed out but i didn't provide a very inspiring picture so i was kind of expecting it. however, i have drawn a winner and i hope she will like her price.

the winner is...

*drum roll*

KATJA! please send me your address katja and i'll get that parcel on it's way.

the winner was drawn randomly and fair. blow kisses to all participants! thank you all for your answers, they have helped a lot and there will be a lot of positive changes in my etsy and blog next year if not sooner, and good luck next time darlings!

"bind me, gag me, take me to the bunny ranch"

2009-11-30T22:25:00.004+01:00

via we heart it.

i feel a bit like this bunny today. drained, calm, and er.. fluffy?

plans for the week:
- workworkwork
- finish that order for cherry cherry already
- write that letter already
- work out

yeah, that's it. before i can do anything else all those needs to be taken care of. oh, who am i kidding?

ps: last chance!

hurry hurry!

2009-11-29T14:20:00.005+01:00

1. maedchenmitherz has a cute giveaway here, hurry up and enter because it ends later today!

2. sass and craft has a really cute giveaway too. find it here.

3. and while you're at it, enter mine as well! you have another 34 hours to enter!

video of the week: to the east by electralane

2009-11-28T20:13:00.001+01:00

one year

2009-11-26T19:01:00.003+01:00

today is a sad day for me. in just a few hours it's exactly one year ago a good friend of mine passed away. i thought today would be horrible, but the anticipation has been much worse. i've waited in fear for this day, expecting the worst, but today was pretty much like every day.

top 5 things i feared i'd do today but haven't:
- cut my own hair (that's always been my no 1 "solution" to bad days, that's always made it worse)
- cry in public
- get myself drunk
- get myself drunk and cry in public
- feel exactly like the day i found out what had happened

none of it happened and it doesn't seem like it will within the next few hours either.

i'm still not sure how i want to document it all though, a way to celebrate the friendship we had. i've only lost one other person, my grandmother, that i felt close to and i'm still waiting for inspiration to make something out of it, you know? have you lost someone? did you document it somehow? did you make a mini album? did you get a tattoo? do you have a shrine? what have to done to make sure you never forget? i really want to hear your stories!

GIVEAWAY #2

2009-11-25T16:20:00.002+01:00

i was so excited to see so many participants in my last giveaway so i decided to make this one extra juicy. this time around you'll have the chance to win a cute ear flap hat, a bow head band, a flower headband, a pair of arm warmers, two demo cds from the band sad monkeys and an adorable own ornament! pretty sweet huh?! share with your friend or keep it all for yourself, it's your call!

here's how to enter:

- comment here and let me know what you want to see more of in either my etsy shop or on my blog!

for additional entries:

- for an extra chance to win you can follow this blog and leave a comment here to tell me that you do. if you already follow this blog that's great, just let me know!

- for another extra entry you can tweet on twitter about this giveaway with a link to this page, comment to tell me you have done so with the link to your twitter.

- for yet another entry, blog about this, comment here with the link to the post. please use the giveaway photo in your blog entry.

good luck!!!

last day to enter is november 30th, and the giveaway winner will be announced december 3rd!

style school online class

2009-11-18T12:24:00.001+01:00

i'm excited about leigh-ann and elsie's upcoming online class, this is what leigh-ann writes: "Elsie and I are excited to introduce Style School, our new online class focusing on discovering your personal style in your home, wardrobe, art and life! We'll share tons of our own style secrets though out the 30 amazing class projects, be joined with bonuses from our 10 most stylish friends, and everyone gets to create a Style File book that helps document, develop and express their style journey through the class and share it with others!" sounds fun, doesn't it!

last week and this week

2009-11-24T16:00:00.002+01:00

via we heart it

last week was fantastic, best week in ages perhaps. mini vacations are the best and i definitely needed this one. editors were just okay, but the maccabees, who were warming up, were great so i was very satisfied. the maccabees 'no kind words' is still my favourite song and definitely the single of the year. only bad thing about last week was that i didn't get as much blogging done, but that means more for this week (probably/hopefully/maybe).

the plans for this week, some work, lots of play:

- getting the order for cherry cherry done
- writing a letter to an old friend of mine
- having another GIVEAWAY!! i wanted to have it today but when i got home from work it was too dark to get photos, but tomorrow!
- get the very last two xmas gifts done
- start a new pair of socks for myself

video of the week: magic by ladyhawke

2009-11-21T14:34:00.001+01:00

i've been listening to this song non stop lately.

handmade gift ideas: crochet style!

2009-11-18T12:08:00.000+01:00

there is nothing better than handmade gifts but sometimes it can be hard to think of something to make. don't worry, i'm here to point you in the direction of some really cute ideas. my last post on the subject included lots of different types of crafts but in afterthought i thought it'd be better to make separate posts for different crafts. this post is for all the crocheters. these are some of my very favourite patterns. some i've tried, some i'm dying to try out once i can convince myself i have the time. i hope you'll find something you'll like to try out!

i love ana paula's amigurumi patterns, they're well written and the toys made by them come out so cute. you have my word on that. she shares the pattern to this cute bear and pot of honey and many more at her blog. at her etsy you'll find lots of very affordable patterns and toys.

i saw this crochet coin purse at craftster a couple of years ago and fell deeply in love. sadly i have not come around making one for myself yet. find the pattern here.

this is not so old, but it's been around a while, and it's cute. crochet hat by maedchenmitherz. see her other tutorials here.

crochet imonkey tutorial found at craftster.

tutorial on how to crochet a ball. makes cute tree ornaments or toys for children and pets.

2009-11-17T12:51:00.001+01:00

via we heart it

you're missing out!

2009-11-17T18:07:00.004+01:00

lots of cake on this blog, but this is a message to two of my knitting friends who's not showing up tonight at our knitting group meeting: this is what you're missing out on ladies! mini cake! oh yes. i've had two already and they are to die for. i'll be missing you tonight but these will be an okay substitute i guess. :)